It's Been Awhile
by Lily1986
Summary: Skye goes to visit Ward for the first time since he was taken into custody months ago. Based on the new clip from the season 2 promo.


**A.N: My bestie requested a drabble based on the new promo and I literally cannot deny her a damn thing. So this happened.**

_And it's been awhile_  
_ Since I could look at myself straight_  
_ And it's been awhile_  
_ Since I said I'm sorry_  
_ And it's been awhile_  
_ Since I've seen the way the candles light your face_  
_ And it's been awhile_  
_ But I can still remember just the way you taste_

* * *

She walked down the dark corridor that she knew led to the isolated cells in the facility. It was getting more difficult to root out the Hydra cells they knew were out there. They needed help and as much as she didn't want to admit it, they needed whatever _he_ knew. He'd been cooperative so far but he still hadn't been able to give them much that they could use. Having to save Trip from a mission that went south today was the last straw though. They almost didn't make it and she didn't think she could lose anymore friends to this war.

So she bit the bullet and came to see him. His visitation log was nearly empty. Only Coulson and May had come to see him over the last few months. She'd heard that he asked for her once. It had slipped in a debrief and May had snapped her gaze toward Coulson. It was never brought up again though and she never came to see him. That was months ago. She doubts he's asked since.

She nodded a greeting at the guard posted outside. He opened the steel door that led her into a padded cell. She took in her surroundings and tried to mask the ache in her chest. There was only a couple reasons inmates were kept in padded cells and she didn't want to think about any of them. He looked up from his sitting position on the floor and eyed her carefully. His lips curved up into a smile she didn't really want to see so she crossed her arms. It was a defense mechanism though and she hated that he knew that.

"I'm here for a reason… not because you asked to see me."

"That was months ago… I'm not naïve enough to believe you came because I asked." he shrugged before standing. "I am surprised they sent you though."

"No one _sent_ me." She bit out. "I'm here on my own."

He nodded before crossing his own arms and leaning against the padded wall, waiting.

She swallowed thickly and walked along the opposite wall, watching him. "I need information. There has to be something else you know… something Garrett told you…"

He winced at hearing his former mentor's name spoken so casually before shaking his head with a shrug. "I told Coulson and May everything I knew months ago."

"Trip almost died today." She said, making Ward frown. "We almost didn't get to him in time."

"Hydra?"

"We don't really know. This time was different."

"I don't think I can give you what you want." He told her sadly. "I don't know anything and I don't exactly have any connection to whatever's going on out there from in here."

"I knew coming here would be a waste of time." She narrowed her eyes before turning to leave.

"You look different." He spoke softly. "Firmer. A little rougher around the edges than I remember."

She looked over her shoulder. "I've been training with my new S.O. Maybe you remember her. She kicked your ass once."

He nodded sadly. "It shows."

She turned toward him. "What does?"

"You actually look and sound like her…." He couldn't mask the sadness in his eyes if he tried. "Is there any part of the girl I used to know still in there?"

"I don't know… I think that girl died in a dark and dingy wine cellar to be honest."

He winced again. "I don't believe that. And neither do you."

"You don't know me, Ward." She turned to leave again.

"You're wrong…" he called out to her. "I know you better than you'd like me to."

"Oh yeah?" she asked the steel door in front of her.

"Yeah…" he said taking a step closer to her. He stood right behind her, making her close her eyes in anticipation. It'd been so long since he was this close to her. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck. "No one knows you better than me. Just like no one knows me better than you."

"You're wrong." She whispered defiantly. "Because I never knew the real you until it was too late."

"I never lied to you, Skye." He continued. "I may have lied to everyone else but I could never lie to _you_."

She took a deep breath.

"Deep down you _know_ that." He whispered against the back of her neck.

She could feel that she was flushed. She didn't like that he knew the kind of effect he had on her. She needed to get out of this cell.

"Goodbye Ward." She knocked on the steel door to alert the guard.

"Raina." He said when the guard opened the door to let her out.

She turned toward him, giving him a look of confusion.

"You need to watch out for Raina." He warned.

"Why?" she asked.

"She wants you for something." He told her. "Didn't Coulson tell you? About your parents?"

Her widened eyes told him that she didn't know.

"You need to talk to Coulson… and May." He frowned. "They can tell you."

She nodded. It wasn't what she came for but it was something that was useful.

"Thank you." She whispered before stepping out of the cell.

Skye looked back to find him watching her as the steel door was closing between them. The look he gave her broke her heart all over again. She turned to leave and bumped into someone. She looked up and glared.

"You're following me."

"Sorry, love." Lance Hunter said with a smile. "But when you said that you were going out for an errand, I didn't think it would be to pay a visit to your old boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend." She growled walking around him.

"So what are you doing here?" he asked as he pushed himself to catch up with her long and angry strides. "Is this one of those conjugal visits that you Americans are so bloody fond of?"

Skye stopped in her tracks and turned to glare at him before turning back around to walk away.

"Where're ya off to in such a hurry, love?"

"To talk to Coulson." She clenched her jaw. "He's got some explaining to do."


End file.
